Closure



May 18 1926.

W. F. DOWNING, JR

CLOSURE Filed July 28, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 18 1926.

W. F. DOWNING, JR

CLOSURE Filed July 28, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 18, 1926 UNITED STATES WILLIAM F. DOWNING, JR., OF ST. CLAIR,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 DIAMOND CRYS- 'I'AL SALT COMPANY, OF ST. CLAIR, MICHIGAN, A CGRPGRATION OF MICHIGAN.

CLOSURE.

Application filed July 28,

This invention relates to closures for pouring apertures in packages and constitutes an improvement in the structures shown in Patent No. 1,268,901 to Charles L. VVeil, issued June 11, 1918, and Patent No. 1,468,359, to lVilliam F. Downing, Jr., is sued September 18, 1923.

In the prior patents above referred to, the opening in the box or container is rectangular and contains a closure having a rectangular flat top and substantially parallel V- shaped wings depending therefrom. In both of these constructions there are certain inherent disadvantages, one of which is due to the unsupported outer edges of the wings when in pouring position which are thus left in an overhung poorly supported condition and which are thus more or less easily broken loose or bent out of position. Another disadvantage of the prior. .structures is the difliculty of manufacturing the same due chiefly to the fact that the apertures are rectangular, thus necessitating difficult and expensive punch and die work in the manufacture thereof. A third disadvantage is that the fine particles in the box or receptacle can sift, or leak out between the wings of the closure and the edges of the aperture, while it is also possible for dust or dirt to sift or leak into the box or receptacle. A further disadvantage is that the closure is diflicult to manufacture and requires expen sive punch and die work because of the peculiar shape thereof.

The primary object of my invention is to eliminate the objectionable features above referred to, to lessen the cost of manufacture, to simplify the construction of the closure and at the same time to produce an improved product having additional useful functions. This and other objects are obtained with my improved construction hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a plan View of a box or re ceptacle containing the improved closure;

Figure 2 is a section through the receptacle and closure on the line 22 of Figure 1, the closure being shown in closed position;

Figure 3 is a similar section showing the closure in open position;

Figure 4 is another similar section with the closure in a second opening or pouring position 1924. Serial N0. 728,706.

Figure 5 is a transverse section of the closure on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

F gure 6 is a perspective view thereof;

Figure 7' is a plan view of a modified box showing the closure in pouring position;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7 with the closure in closed position;

Figure 10 is a section on the line 101 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a plan View of a receptacle with a modified closure having a single pouring opening;

Figure 12 is a section on the line 1212 of Figure 11, the closure being in pouring pos1t1on;

Figure 13 is a transverse section of the closure on the line 13-13 of Figure 11;

Figure 14 is a perspective view thereof.

In my improved construction the box or container is provided with a circular aperture, in which is inserted a closure of substantially cylindrical form provided with a groove or channel formed by substantially straight sided walls and extending diametrically across the closure. This construction has all of the advantages of the features of the prior patents above referred to, such. as

symmetry and reversibility and further-.

more, has the additional advantage that the closure may be inserted in the aperture in any position. The closure may be made either single acting or double acting and may operate either by pivoting the same in the aperture or by drawing it out witi-iout pivoting the same and by providing a slightly modified form of container, the opening and closing may be controlled by a rotation of the closure in the aperture.

Thus, as is shown in the drawings, A represents a container or receptacle provided with a circular aperture B therein, in which is inserted the closure C. The latter is formed with a cylindrical outer wall D, the upper edge of which is provided with an an nular flange E adapted to seat upon the surface of the container. The diameter of the cylindrical wall D is slightly less than that of the aperture B, thus, allowing a pivotal action to take place as shown in Figure 3, while the flanges F upon the lower edge of the cylindrical wall D are of slightly greater diameter than the aperture, thus, limiting the outward movement of the closure but IOU pern'iitting the'same to be snapped through the aperture due to the flexibility of the container. On diametrically opposite sides of the cylindrical wall D there are cut away portions G and extending across the closure are the spaced walls ll: mmnecting with the cylindrical wall 1) adjacent the cut away portions G and preferably arranged nouparallel so as to form a channel I greater in width at the bottom than at the top. 5 is a connecting wall forming a top surface and extending between the upper edges of the side walls H, while X represents the segmental bottom walls extending between the outer wall D and the side walls ll. With the structure as thus far described, the closure may be gripped by inserting the thumb and forefinger in the segmental apertures L and grasping the side walls H and by this means, the closure may be tilted, as shown in Figure 2, the upper flange E forming a fulcrum and the lower flange F forming a stop for limiting the outword movement of the closure.

It will be noted from Figures 1 and 3 that the closure is double acting, that is, it may be drawn out so that the contents of the container may be poured from either end of the channel I. In either position, however, the top wall J forms a deflector which prevents the material in the container from shooting out laterally and compels a downward movement. As shown in Figure 4, the closure may also be drawn out as a whole without any pivotal action and this will also allow the materials from the box or receptacle to be poured therefrom.

The closure may also be used in the modified form of box or container, as illustrated in Figures 7 to 10 wherein, the container is provided with a depression M by bending down a portion N of the container until it is adjacent the lower flange F of the closure. W ith this arrangement, the pouring position is determined by rotation of the closure and when the channel I is in alignment with the depression M, the material may be withdrawn from the receptacle, while by merely rotating the closure to the position shown in Figures 9 and 10 the withdrawal of the material is prevented.

A modified form of closure is illustrated in the remaining figures, this construction being single acting, that is, having only n open position. In this arrangement, the top wall 0 between the side walls P slopes from the upper flange E at one side of the closure to the lower flange F at the opposite side thereof and the side walls P are of substantially triangular shape. In this construction, there is only one aperture in the cylindrical wall D, this forming the outlet from the channel R formed by the side walls P and the top wall 0. In other respects, this modified form of closure is similar to the one previously described and it may be inserted within the circular aperture in the same manner. it is obvious that it may also be opened by lifting the upper flange E and tilting the closure as shown in Figure 12, or by lifting the same out as a whole similar to Figure 4, or again, it may be inserted in a container of the type represented in Figures 7 to 10 and be actuated by a rotation of the closure.

In all of the modifications as above described, the manufacturing is rendered simpler and easier because of the use of circular punches and dies. The assembly of the closure with boxes, cartons or receptacles also greatly simplified because in the ass inbly of the former structures the operator was required to arrange the closure in either one of two definite positions with res ect to the aperture in the box before inserting the same, this manipulation materially increasing the time required for the assembly. On the other hand, my improved structure because of its circular form, can be inserted in any position, thus, greatly expediting the work of assembly.

Another advantage found in the improved structure herein described, is that the an nular flange completely overlaps the be or container mhich prevents the line materials from sifting or leaking out and the dust and dirt from sifting or leaking into the box. The improved construction also has all of the advantages found in the prior patents above referred to, namely, that of pouring from either end and the ability to be withdrawn at both ends simultaneously to permit the insertion of a pointed instrument for the removal of lumpy materials that tend to clog the opening and prevent the flow of materials from the box.

that I claim as my invention is l. The combination with receptacle iaving a circular aperture therein, of a closure for said aperture having a substantially cylindrical outer wall, projections at the inner edges of said wall, a circular top flange larger than said 1 erturc, and up wardly converging side walls within said cylindrical wall adapted to form a pouring channel.

2. The combination with a receptacle having a circular aperture therein, of a closure for said aperture having a cylindrical outer wall, projections at the inner edges of said wall, engageable with said receptacle to limit the outward movement of said closure, an annular flange at the outer edge of said cylindrical wall, a pair of side walls extending across said closure within said cylindrical wall to form a channel, said cylindrical wall having cut-away portions leading to said channel, and a defiector wall connected with said side walls forming therewith a pouring channel.

3. The combination with a receptacle having a circular aperture therein, of a closure for said aperture having a cylindrical wall provided with an opening therein, top and bottom flanges on said cylindrical wall of larger diamete' than said aperture, side walls extending across said closure within said cylindrical wall adjacent said opening, bottom walls connecting said side walls with said cylindrical wall, and a top wall extending between said side walls and forming therewith a pouring channel.

i. A closure for a circular aperture comprising a cylindrical wall having peripheral flanges at the opposite ends thereof, a pair of spaced sides within said cylindrical walls, a top surface connecting said sides and forming therewith a channel, and bottom walls connecting said sides with said. cylindrical wall, the latter having an opening' therein leading to said channel.

5. A closure for a circular aperture comprising a structure having an outer cylindrical surface provided with top and bottom peripheral flanges, said structure being formed with a substantially straight sided channel extending diametrically across the same.

6. A closure for a circular aperture comprising; a structure bounded by a cylindrical outer surface having flanges at the opposite ends thereof, one of said flanges being annular and extending completely around the periphery of said cylindrical surface, said structure being formed with a diametrically extending channel having an opening through said cylindrical surface.

'7. The combination with a container having acircular aperture therein, of a closure for said aperture comprising a structure having a cylindrical outer wall of slightly less diameter than said aperture, a peripheral flange at one end of said cylindrical wall being of a diameter greater than said aperture and extending completely around said cylindrical wall, projections at the op posite end of said cylindrical wall, said structure being formed with a channel extending diametrically across the same.

8. The combination with a receptacle having a circular aperture therein, said receptacle being formed with a depression adjacent said aperture, of a closure for said aperture con'iprising a cylindrical outer wall, a peripheral flange at the upper edge thereof, projections at the lower edge thereof, and a channel. extending diametrically across said closure adapted to communicate with said depression, said closure being rotatable within said apertureto close the same.

9. The combination with a receptacle having a circular aperture therein, of a closure for said aperture having a cylindrical wall, side walls extending across said closure within said cylindrical wall, a top wall connecting said side walls forming a pouring channel, said cylindrical wall hav- 'n cutaway portions communicating with said channel, and means associated with said cylindrical wall for limiting the out ward movement of said closure.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

vV. F. DOVVNING, JR. 

